Thanks to the orthodoxy of the ‘Maharaj’ clan, Kathak very often is a stagnant pool. Yet, when its waters are occasionally stirred by young hard working new generation dancers, it yields beauty of a high order. One such enormously gifted artiste is Nandini who the critics say that she is the very epitome of feminine grace and allure. There is poetry in her body. She has the potential for taking the viewer to a magic world of Kathak at its best.

Born on 7th June 1952, Nimmi was initiated into the magic world of dance by her mother Late Janaki Devi, who herself was a singer of some repute. Nandini was fortunate enough to be sculpted by great Guru’s of kathak, Guru Hiralal, Guru Ganeshi Hiralal and Pt. Sunder Prasad. These kathak maestros helped her in getting the finest nuances in this dance form.

At Smt. Niana Devi’s Raag Rang conference, where Ustd. Bade Ghulam Ali Khan, Ustd. Hafiz Ali Khan, Badi Moti Bai performed, Nandini, with her debut performance delighted the audience. Her whirlwind brhamaris, sharp and neat tihaees, difficult chakradhars and other episodes prevalent commonly in Kathak form, were far beyond expectations from a teenager. By fifteen she was already an accomplished dancer. In late 60’s itself, she had carved a niche for herself in kathak, blossoming into one of the finest new generation kathak dancers as Nandini. Further, in her persuit for perfection, she got associated with Pt. Devi Lal, and Durga Lal, who brought along added enhancements in her dance.

Over the years, Nandini featured in innumerable recitals in and outside India. Then came a major gap for over a decade in Nandini’s dance life at the top of her quest for perfection and glory. Nandini gave up dancing just after her marriage in 1971. She came back in to this field again in 1986 almost after a gap of 15 years now as Nandini Singh.

She combines her presentations a fine balance of Nritta, Abhinaya and Lyrical Beauty. She has also to her credits several choreographic works. She has rendered her performances in all prestigious festivals throughout India and abroad, in Russia, Turkmenistan, Khrigystan, US of A, UK Germany, Caribbean Islands, West Indies, Afghanistan, Mauritius, Sri Lanka etc. Nandini, in her effort to awaken our younger generation the sensibilities and aesthetics of dance, conducts regular classes, lecture demonstrations and concerts organised all over India by Spic – Macay, and Bal Bahwan organisations. She has also formulated a charitable organisation in 1996 named “Vaasuki Natyashala”.

In addition to being an excellent dancer with beauty and charming personality, she has proven herself to be an excellent teacher and acquired formidable reputation by being a senior teacher for some period of time at Kathak Kendra, New Delhi and is presently Guru at Sri Ram Bhartiya Kala Kendra for the last 16 years. Raja Ram Mohan Roy foundation felicitated her with the Best Teacher award in 1998 presented by the Vice President of India. Apart from other prestigious awards like Chirag –e- Nau, Rajasthan Rang Manch award, Abivyakti Kala Sangam award, Outstanding Woman of the Year award by Indian Air Force etc, she is also a recipient of Senior Fellowship from the Government of India, for her research on Parans in Kathak.